The Thought That Counts
by weluvgirlswithglasses
Summary: It's Konata's 18th birthday, and perfectionist tsundere Kagami is buying her a gift. You don't always have to try so hard, Kagami! One-shot. Friendship or Romance, up to you to decide.


**Author's Notes:** I'm bored, and this is a one-shot. My fiancee is out of town for a while, but the sequel to Level Up! is not dead. We have ch. 2 nearly done. Just be patient, as we are adults with restricting lives. Anyway, enjoy this little tidbit from me while you wait. I promise it will be cute.

The Thought That Counts

It was a peaceful May day. The isles of Gamers shop were bustling with many cheery customers who had too much money and not enough useful means to spend it on. The store's activity would have been enough to send a certain rival Tenchou into a jealous rage.

Yet amid the many shopping otaku, there was one girl who remained stagnant in the isle, staring intently at the goods before her. A thoughtful finger was cupped under her chin. Her brow furrowed under her careful pondering.

"No... that's no good. I'm pretty sure I heard it mentioned... but it's too obvious." Muttering to herself, the girl wandered out of the CD aisle and moved to the DVDs. The stacks of media seemed to tower over her, each colorful cover character staring her down as if to say, "Could I be the one you're looking for?"

"Jeez, the selection in these kinds of places never fails to shock me." The girl's blue eyes traced all the way to the top of the shelves, her twin tails swaying with the movement of her head. Kagami meandered a little, scanning each odd title as carefully as she could. That particular series was something she'd talked about... but had she seen it? Probably. That next one was based on a manga she had been reading, but she had a way of being critical over interpretations like that... there was a chance that it might not satisfy.

"There!" Kagami's eye caught a familiar title. Trotting over to it, she eyed the title. It was an old one, but one she knew she'd heard praise for. The girl was reaching for the DVD when a voice rang through her memory.

_My favorite studio's going to be remaking it! They just released the teaser and I've watched it about 12 times. 15 seconds long is worse than just a tease...! Time to move the old series into storage to make room for the future release!_

"Damnit!" The pigtailed girl walked out of the DVD aisle in frustration. "Who the hell would've thought she'd be so hard to shop for?"

* * *

Not far off, by the cash registers, two of Kagami's siblings stood in a bit of discomfort. The older of the two scratched the back of her head, her other arm supporting a few shopping bags.

"Hey Tsukasa... looking in here was a little fun at first, but it feels like it's going on an hour now. Why did Kagami have us stop here on the way home?" Matsuri asked her youngest sister.

"Hm? Oh, tomorrow is Kona-chan's birthday. Oneechan doesn't have a present for her yet." Tsukasa answered.

"Kona-chan? That's your shorter friend, right? The one who's over all the time?"

Tsukasa nodded. "Mn, that's her. I handmade her something, but oneechan said she'd rather get something from a store."

"Hm. It's not like Kagami to wait till the last minute like this."

"I think that Kagami-oneechan wanted to be able to come here without Kona-chan knowing, so she had to bide her time."

"Well, you guys do hang out all the time..."

* * *

"Ugh, why is it that the character goods aisle always give me the creeps?" Kagami thought aloud to herself as she wandered amongst an assortment of figurines, phone straps, and other mindless accessories.

_There's such an assortment of anime crap in this aisle, it should be easier to find something she might like. I'll at least find something obscure enough that she probably won't have it... or three of it... Like this thermometer! It's got whats-her-face on it, so she should... wait... WHERE does it go?? Why the hell are they selling that kind of thing here?!_

Kagami moved on, only to come face to face with a fellow shopper obscured by the enormous body pillow he had clutched to his front. The printed face of Kogami Akira was flashing her with an expression that was a little too suggestive for her taste. Kagami gaped a little bit. _Konata does like this character a little... Wait, what am I thinking?!_

"Oh, excuse me." The customer scooted around her. Kagami took a deep sigh.

"I've gotta get out of this aisle. She'd better thank me for all this."

* * *

  
_  
_"God, she's still not done? What's taking her so long? I wouldn't even spend this much time on a boyfriend, for crying out loud." Matsuri huffed.

"You know her, Matsuri-oneechan." Tsukasa smiled. "Kagami-oneechan likes to be thorough like this."

"I suppose," Matsuri stretched her arms up over her head. "But she didn't spend nearly this long buying you your birthday gift. She was totally out of the store in like, five minutes."

"Eh?!" Tsukasa jumped with a bit of surprise. "W-well... that must be because she already knew what she was going to get beforehand...!"

"How long have you guys known Konata-chan, anyway?"

"Since the beginning of high school. She's in my class and I introduced her to Oneechan in our first year."

"And she likes her this much already, huh? Well, it's good to see Kagami putting this much effort into a social life instead of her wor--"

"I can HEAR you." Kagami's sharp voice cut the older girl off. The pair turned to see their twin-tailed sister glaring agitatedly at them, her face only a tiny bit flushed.

"Oh, hey Kagami."

"I came over to say I'm sorry for taking so long, and I'm almost done. Try not to get too bored insulting me, okay?" She trudged off. Matsuri and Tsukasa stared after her.

"Were we insulting her..?"

* * *

"This is it. This has gotta be good." Kagami glanced over the new manga and book releases near the front of the store. _It was just released this week, a new art and reference book for one of her favorite dorky shows. It's got frame by frame sketches, model sheets, and... _She glanced at a few of the thumbnail scans on the back cover. _...fanservice. Yeah, she'll like it. There's a small chance she'll already have it, but damnit I've spent too much time on this already._

Her choice solidified, Kagami reached for the book.

_Take one from the bottom... right. How pathetic, she's already got me trained._

_

* * *

  
_

"So your co-workers threw a party for you? That was really nice of them!"

"Yeah, but I was out really late. When I got home, Dad and Yuu-chan and Yui-neesan were struggling to stay awake and give me well wishes."

"Woah. I hope you thanked them properly, especially Yutaka-chan."

"I think I might have... I was so tired at that point, I have trouble remembering."

"You don't seem to have trouble remembering what goes on in your games past 4 AM."

"Well Kagami, important events have a way of memorizing themselves... like your subconscious just knows that you can't forget this event, and it's totally ingrained. You know what I'm talking about?"

"You're just setting yourself up for a pot-shot here, but seeing as yesterday was your birthday, I'll let it slide." Kagami twirled the phone cord in her free index finger, rolling her eyes a little bit.

"Thanks." Konata replied on the other end. "Oh, and Kagami?"

"Yeah?"

"About the gift?"

"Yeah...?"

"Well... how do I say this..."

"Just say it already."

"It's okay Kagami, you didn't know."

_Crap, I knew it._

"You see, I already had i--"

"I don't wanna hear it!!" Kagami cut her friend off. "Jeez, I wasted enough time trying to figure out what you -didn't- have! Isn't it rude to say something like that to someone who gave you a gift anyway? Just be quiet and be happy I remembered to get you something!"

".....kay."

"........."

"... so do you want store credit or something? Or I could just return it and--"

"It's okay, Kagamin." Konata sounded a tad smug through the receiver. "You know how I like to have more than one of my things, anyway."

"Yeah... that's true. I still don't see why you had to go and tell me that you already had one, in that case."

"Hn, I'll consider hearing Kagamin's embarrassed voice just now as a second birthday gift."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Konata only snickered. Kagami sighed.

"I've got homework to get back to. I just wanted to see if you'd... I wanted to hear how your birthday went. Anyway I'd better go now."

"Kay. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"See ya."

"And oh yeah - Thanks for thinking of me, Kagamin."

"Y-you're..." The sound of a soft click came from the phone's earpiece. Kagami lowered the receiver from her lightly reddened face. "...welcome."

**The End**

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Cute and pointless! Oh weluvgirlswithglasses, that is so like you! Sorry if Konata sucked… she's not really my strong point. Anyway, tell me what you thought. I wrote this on a total whim, so I'd like to know how it was. Thanks.  
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